Anthill Magazine

I just don't get the handout mentality. A friend of mine is doing his Doctorate. His research institution and the university will own any IP generated, and he is immensely grateful for the modest stipend that he is surviving on throughout this process.

I had a fascinating exchange with a venture capitalist the other day. I made the mistake of having a private conversation about the industrial relations reforms (yes, I know, religion and politics), which he overheard. I was delighted when he exploded next to me - "I can't stand listening to this socialist crap any longer!" Readers, I am not now, and have never been, until last week, accused of being a socialist.

Wandering through the halls of the enormous 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona in February, it was plainly evident that mobile communications is still in the very active stages of the innovation cycle. This event, which brings together most of the world's top telecommunications technology and network companies, has come a long way from its humble beginnings last decade in the French seaside town of Cannes, when early attendances numbered in the hundreds.

Wandering through the halls of the enormous 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona in February, it was plainly evident that mobile communications is still in the very active stages of the innovation cycle. This event, which brings together most of the world's top telecommunications technology and network companies, has come a long way from its humble beginnings last decade in the French seaside town of Cannes, when early attendances numbered in the hundreds.

In these pensive days, where a backpacker on a bus could pose more of a threat than a cave-dwelling Taliban, Governments and corporations are hungry for technology that will help secure their people and resources. It has fed a boom in the defence tech sector; a world of cutting-edge machinery and multi-million dollar contracts, and home to some of the world's keenest strategic and technical minds. Several Australian companies are emerging as genuine players in this highly competitive space. Liz Heynes and Catherine Kerstjens take a look at six on this new front line.

Over $500 million in venture capital was earmarked for China in the first half of 2005 alone. With a shortage of deals and management talent, opportunities abound for both investors and investee companies from abroad. In the third instalment of this four-part series, Paul Waide pulls back the curtain to reveal the complex machinations of China's vibrant private equity market.

A prison sentence early in life can dash the hopes of a would-be entrepreneur. Or it can fuel them. In the youth unit at Port Phillip Prison, rock bottom gives way to the bottom line as teenaged inmates become CEOs. Jodie O'Keeffe clears security to find out what it takes to build a business behind bars.

Has it really been six years since the world's first wave of internet entrepreneurs fell through that plump cloud they'd conjured in the sky, taking with them the turgid hopes of our fledgling new economy? It's been six years peppered with hard luck stories, investor reluctance and, lately, cautious hope rekindled. Australian internet startups were in the thick of it back then. The survivors emerged with slightly bloodied noses and wisdom far beyond their years.

Director responsibility to maximise value especially with the advent of AIFRS In the wake of several recent corporate failures and scandals there is unprecedented scrutiny...

You don’t have to speak to very many entrepreneurs to hear a lot of negativity about the Australian VC industry. Use of the term...

We love stories of simple ideas making millions: think Post-it Notes, Frisbee and eBay. Ideas need nourishment and protection as they move from R&D...

Offshore intellectual property transactions, generally, include an element of escrowing. Whether an intellectual property owner is involved in a licensing, franchise, reseller, distribution, partnership, joint...

Achieving your first sale can literally make or break a start-up. Many investors will delay committing significant funds until you can identify a customer...

ALMOST FAMOUS While most people, at some stage in their life, indulge in the surreptitious daydream of one day being awarded a Nobel Prize, very...

BI-GOODNESS is a bi-monthly column dedicated to the quirky, generally funny and often dangerously impractical inventions and business concepts that occasionally come our way....

Early stage venture capitalists are entrepreneurs, too! They’re switched on, chased up and brimming with ideas on how to breathe life into commercial opportunities....

The past 20 years has seen increased recognition of the role that intangible assets play in contributing to a company’s value. This is demonstrated...

We’re all aware that small companies can be more nimble and innovative than bigger ones. But being innovative will do you no good in...

All successful niche-market entrepreneurs have one thing in common: an enthusiasm for their work that extends far beyond mere profit-lust. Tim Anderson and Paul...

The Australian superannuation industry is capital rich but reluctant to invest in emerging technology industries, such as biotechnology. Brad Howarth goes searching for solutions...